Five Questions With: Dr. Rajiv Kumar

Dr. Rajiv Kumar is the founder and CEO of ShapeUp, a social networking platform that allows employers to track and incentivize corporate-wellness programs.

Kumar spoke with Providence Business News about the latest developments in his company’s wellness programs and where he sees ShapeUp headed in the future.

PBN: ShapeUp recently launched the European Expedition and Appalachian Trail wellness challenges. How many different challenges does ShapeUp offer now, and how are they tailored to customers’ individual interests and needs?
KUMAR:
ShapeUp has been built up on the success of our team fitness challenges. Right now, we have eight separate team challenges along with a new framework called Destinations, which allows companies to craft their own custom challenge, specific to their organization’s culture and identity. But while team challenges are a huge part of our history and platform, we’ve also expanded into new areas of health and wellness, including stress management, behavior change, weight loss programs and tobacco cessation. All of these new programs have a social component – that’s the common thread in every single thing that we do – so while they may not have a formal team structure like our original programs, they’re still focused on helping people get healthy together.

PBN: Earlier this year, ShapeUp celebrated a new milestone, signing the 350th customer for ShapeUp Complete for small and medium-sized businesses. What does this market represent in terms of ShapeUp’s overall customer base? How many total customers does ShapeUp have across all its platforms?
KUMAR:
ShapeUp Complete, an automated self-service wellness platform, is one of our greatest success stories. Launched just 18 months ago, we’ve had tremendous success bringing social wellness to businesses of all sizes. In terms of customer base, ShapeUp Complete represents the largest portion of our 500+ client base, but we also serve large employers and health plans covering over 3 million participants worldwide.

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PBN: ShapeUp held its inaugural Customer Summit event last month. What were the takeaways for you from the event as far as what ShapeUp’s customers need in a workplace wellness program and the role corporate wellness plays in today’s workplace?
KUMAR:
Customers are looking to engage their employees, day after day, year after year, in multiple wellness programs and initiatives. It’s a big task! ShapeUp, as a company, is successful because we are pros at engagement. Through mobile technology, gamification and social interaction, we reach employees where they are, leveraging their existing relationships and preferences for the sake of better health and corporate culture.
In terms of the role of corporate wellness – these days, it’s a given. We’ve moved beyond a pro/con argument for wellness to an understanding that it is critical for employee engagement, productivity, recruitment and retention. Wellness is not simply about health care costs and claims; it’s about urging valuable employees to live the best, most empowered lives possible. It’s about being a partner to your people.

PBN: ShapeUp has been recognized with a number of industry awards for health care connectivity, marketing and digital consumer health resources. From your perspective, what helps ShapeUp stand apart from its competitors?
KUMAR:
ShapeUp is committed to leading the evolution of wellness, and we have never lost sight of this imperative. This comes across in so many ways – from recruiting top talent, to supporting the ideas of our employees, to developing and progressing in partnership with our clients – not on behalf of them. In order to be at the forefront of wellness, we have to have the audacity to try new things, as well as the humility to learn from those around us, and I think we walk that line very well.

PBN: Where do you hope to see ShapeUp in five years? Do you expect to remain a Rhode Island company for the foreseeable future?
KUMAR:
In five years, I hope ShapeUp is still headquartered in Rhode Island. We are rapidly growing, and our clients are increasingly global, but Providence is at the heart of ShapeUp, and that won’t change! Over the next couple of years, I expect we will continue on our successful trajectory of expanding the meaning of social wellness, extending our suite of empowering wellness programs, and deepening our client relationships.

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